Hierarchy of Sound and Music

There are 4 primary levels of energy in the universe when looking at it all from a frequency or vibration level. As we go down the list each aspect becomes more and more powerful.

1. Frequencies – Many people these days are now focused on pure frequency. Pure frequency manifests in the world through Tuning Forks, Tone Generators, Flutes (not completely pure), Crystal Bowls (also not completely pure), Concert Pitch and Tuning Systems. You can also think of cells, atoms, and the elements as pure frequencies.

There are many pure frequencies that have been shown to create very specific effects on us physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. For example, 45 hertz has been proven to regenerate bones. Many use 136.102 hertz as the “OM” frequency in gongs and tuning forks because it is a frequency based on the rotation of the Earth around the the Sun (CLICK HERE to see a list of Archetypal Frequencies). Mentally, our brain vibrates at specific frequencies of delta, theta, alpha and gamma, and we can use these frequencies to entrain our brain into these brainwave states (CLICK HERE for more detail). There are also some general frequencies that seem to correspond to higher emotional states such as gratitude, compassion, love and joy. Then there are frequencies that can open our heart (CLICK HERE for and article on the Sound of Love) or lead us into a direct connection with our Soul, Spirit, and Source. At the Institute (and online) we find the frequency of your Soul. Source is all frequencies in the Universe.

Concert Pitch is the core frequency that an orchestra or all of the instruments in a group tune to. Many people have jumped on the band wagon of tuning concert pitch to auspicious frequencies such as 432 hertz or 528 hertz. This is cool and effective, but not nearly as effective as when these frequencies are played by themselves – as with tone generators or tuning forks. However, listening to frequencies by themselves can be quite annoying to many people. (Also, it has now become clear that the science behind the 528 hertz phenomena is a bit shady – the actual research project does not exist).

A Tuning System is the particular frequency of each of the 12 notes within an octave. Ancient tuning systems such as Just Intonation and Pythagorean tuning systems are based on the natural harmonics found throughout nature. Equal Tempered tuning (which is what most of our music is tuned to) has no relationship to anything in the natural world. Therefore, tuning systems are actually quite a bit more important that Concert Pitch.

CLICK HERE to see a detailed list of Arhetypal Frequencies, and to listen to some more pure frequencies.

Frequencies are actually the least powerful in the overall hierarchy. As you will see, Timbres are quite a bit more powerful.

2. Timbre – Timbre is often referred to as Tone, Tonality, or Harmonic Structure of a sound. It is the particular combination of frequencies (called harmonics) that make up why one sound sounds different from another sound. Timbres manifest in all instrument sounds (including our voices) and in nature sounds. You can think of the elements and atoms as frequencies, where as a molecule is a Timbre – a combination of frequencies. Flower essences and even food can actually be thought of as Timbres. Certain traditions also speak of organs in the body as having very specific Timbres. The symphony of sounds in our body; or rather, the complete combination of frequencies in the body makeup the very specific Timbre that we are!

A particular timbre within an instrument or a voice is quite a bit more powerful and effective compared to frequencies (not that frequencies don’t matter). The primary reason that timbres are more effective is because they are not only a combination of frequencies (called harmonics), they also now include the effect of musical intervals – the relationship of one frequency to another within the sound itself. Different musical intervals create different states of consciousness. Finally, the mathematical structure of the harmonics themselves (which is mathematical multiples), resonate with the same mathematical structure within the Universe – the distance between the planets, the weight of each vertebrae, the distance of electron shells around the nucleus of an atom, and some say – the frequency of each aura. All of these have the exact same mathematical structure of the harmonics that make up just about all sounds – therefore, this combination of frequencies, we call Timbre, actually taps us into a higher level of consciousness and harmony found throughout nature.

3. Music – Changing Frequencies, Musical Intervals and Chords with Rhythm – Next on the hierarchy is Music. When we add time to frequencies, musical intervals, and chords we get rhythm (chords are simply more than two sounds that have specific musical intervals or states of Consciousness). Again, one logical step higher, Music is obviously quite a bit more powerful than timbres. For example, on one level, a full tree is much more powerful than one leaf (although beauty and source exists within the leaf itself).

Rhythms, themselves, also have very specific and measurable effects on our heart rate, brainwave rhythms, breath, nervous system, cranial sacral rhythms, and even our walking or dancing rhythm. However, the movement of musical intervals and chordal progressions create an even more powerful level of energy that taps into our system very deeply – physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

I’ve come to understand and believe that the “quality of the flow” of the music is one of the most important aspects with Music. Quality of flow includes: 1. The smoothness of the flow. Particularly a flow that has minimal amounts of stress. 2. The consistency of the flow. A flow that is unbroken and void of scatteredness is more in alignment with things like Spirit, our Soul, and Source. 3. The manner in which the flow resonates with mathematical patterns of flow in nature and Spirit. We know that nature and Spirit often create particular mathematical patterns (such as Fibonacci sequences or Golden Mean Ratios) when they are unaffected by man or machinery. 4. Flows that mimic or align with flows within the body – such as emotions, heart variability, breath changes, and the flow of energy through the meridians.

When the flow in the music is right, we know it and feel it as if the music is a living being.

As we know from experience, music is unbelievably powerful – bringing us into states of ecstatic joy, emotional bliss, heart opening tears, and perfectly divine peace and stillness. Obviously, quite a bit more powerful than frequencies, or timbres on their own.

4. Energy – Consciousness and Intention in the Music – The energy within the music is the most powerful component of all. A song sung by one person can be nice, while the same song sung by another person can completely blow your mind, give you chills and tears, and sometimes completely transform a life.

Energy in music and sound manifests as the quality of the consciousness of the person that is creating the music. It seems very clear that the more conscious a person is the more we can feel it in the music. Beethoven’s consciousness came through his music very clearly. The more that someone is capable of tapping into higher levels of consciousness including gratitude, compassion, love, joy, a direct connection to Spirit, a direct connection to their own Soul, or a merging with Cosmic Consciousness or Source, where we are all one — the more these energies come through the music, lighting us up.

Just as important as a person’s consciousness, is how consistently the musician and recording engineer hold a clear Intention while playing, recording and mixing the music. It has been proven in several scientific experiments that Intention gets embedded in the music and transmitted to the listener creating a measurable positive effect. The quality of the particular Intention itself is also really important. Very specific intentions (such as healing a specific disease in a particular person) can be incredibly effective, however it seems to me that Intentions that address the whole of the planet or humanity on a global level seem to bring more power with them.

Most importantly, as in Music, the quality of the flow of the energy within the music seems to be the most important component. The ideal energetic flow, again seems to be one that taps into higher powers of nature, Spirit or Source. Universal Love is one of the best examples of a powerful energetic flow.

Obviously, energy is more important that Frequencies, Timbres or Music on their own. Many people often perform miracles doing energy healing without sound or music. However, when you combine all of these components together you can obtain a level of power that most of us cannot even fathom.

Many people often get tunnel vision on one these four levels: Frequency, Timbre, Music, or Energy. However, when all of the parts come together in divine harmony they can create a greater whole… just as in nature and Spirit.